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Behind the Scene Designer Series: Artist 5 Olivia Barnes

Today we bring back our Behind the Scene Designer Series we started last season, and this time it’s a talented 12 year old! I first met Olivia at the December photo shoot before our 2014 Show. Then a focused 5th grader she came to us dialed as a designer and poised to show her talent on the runway. Last year I lamented that Olivia didn’t submit, until I found out she was already working on her piece for the following year! Talk about a role model for planning ahead!

The Behind the Scene Designer Series celebrates the trash fashion that IS the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show. Without it, there would be no event. Each designer brings his or her unique passion, inspiration, and creativity, but no matter their differences, a common bond lingers: transforming trash, inspiring community for a sustainable earth.

Artist 5 – Olivia Barnes

RR: What do you do in real life when you’re not designing and creating trash fashion?

OB: Fencing, school (7th grader), and cupcake baking

RR: How did you get started as a trash fashion designer?

OB: I studied all of the water around the world in elementary school and I got inspired to do something about it.

RR: What inspires your creations?

OB: I was inspired by my dads biking and I realized that there was a lot of things that were wasted. There were broken parts that just got thrown away. I decided to make something amazing out of that.

RR: What is your current goal as a Trash Fashion Designer?

OB: My next step is to enter the fashion show this year, and end goal is to inspire, and make known the problems about trash.

RR: What is else should we know about you?

OB: I love to design, model and help the environment. I love the feeling of showing people what I have made that I spent time on, and it definitely pays off. I also love to get creative with trash and help put better use to the garbage around the world!